Photo: Chris Emeott
Ryan Carter reinvests in the community that raised him.
For many National Hockey League (NHL) players, hockey dreams end the day athletes hang up their professional skates. For Ryan Carter, that dream is evolving—and continues in his hometown, where he is stepping into a new role this season as head coach of the White Bear Lake Area High School (WBLAHS) girls hockey team.
Born and raised in White Bear Lake, Carter’s journey began on his neighbors’ backyard rink, where he first learned to skate and play hockey. As his interest and skill in the sport grew, he knew to take it one step at a time. “Playing in Minnesota prepared me in the sense that I had a very simple mindset: Be good where you are, and you’ll likely make the next team,” Carter says.
In WBLAHS’ boys hockey program, Carter quickly became a standout player. He helped the team advance to the state tournament during his junior year and was a finalist for the Minnesota Minute Men Mr. Hockey Award his senior year. “He wasn’t a ‘rah-rah’ guy,” says Bill Butters, Carter’s high school coach. “He just let his game play out through his leadership skills. He let his game speak for itself, and I think that’s why he succeeded at every level he was at.”
Ryan Carter, his daughters Lily and Natalie, and his wife, Erin. Photos: Ryan Carter
After graduating from high school in 2002, Carter played two years of junior league hockey with the United States Hockey League’s Green Bay Gamblers, followed by two years at Minnesota State University, Mankato. Then, he was off to the NHL, where he played over 500 games. He won the Stanley Cup with the Anaheim Ducks in 2007, and also played with the Carolina Hurricanes, Florida Panthers and New Jersey Devils before finishing his NHL career with the Minnesota Wild in 2016.
Carter felt a bit lost in the years followed his retirement. “I had three kids at the time, and [I was] like, ‘What am I going to do now?’” he says. “I remember getting asked what I like to do and what my skills are.
I knew they were looking for answers like: ‘I’m a people person,’ or ‘I’m really good at spreadsheets,’ or ‘I like selling things,’ but I really didn’t have any of those answers … I’m good at forechecking and skating and playing hockey. I’m good at working out and training. That’s what I’m good at.”
In 2019, Carter was offered an on-air broadcasting job with the Minnesota Wild. In this role, he offers color commentary for the team’s exclusive multimedia TV network, providing analysis and insights into the game. He also co-hosts the Wild’s official podcast, Wild on 7th. The position has allowed him to remain involved in the sport he loves while also being present with his family.
Ryan Carter and his daughter, Maggie.
Away from the broadcast booth and podcast studio, Carter has found his way back to the ice in new ways. As a 10U and 12U coach with White Bear Lake Area Hockey Association, Carter has coached his daughters Maggie, Natalie and Lily. Moving to a higher level wasn’t on his radar, so when the coaching opportunity at WBLAHS arose, he was initially surprised. After talking with his family, they all decided it was the right next step
“I’ll be very careful, but also very vocal, about goal-setting with the girls,” he says. “What you have to achieve is right in front of your own nose, and the opportunity is daily. But you have to set massive goals for yourself, or you might not achieve your true potential.”
Butters is looking forward to seeing Carter at the helm. “Ryan Carter is a man of highest integrity,” he says. “He won’t demand things verbally; he’ll just be the first guy on the ice, he’ll help kids get better, and he’ll expect them to want to get better.”
Ryan Carter currently works as a television color analyst for the Minnesota Wild, as well as a co-host of the team’s official podcast, Wild on 7th.
For Carter, continuing to coach in his community was an important factor in the decision to take the post. “I wouldn’t be coaching anywhere other than White Bear,” Carter says. “It’s a tight community, and that’s why coaching was intriguing. I know a lot of the families, and I get to coach second- and third-generation people [who] coached me. I’ll be coaching their grandkids, and it’s really cool.”
Brian Peloquin, director of student activities at WBLAHS, says, “The thing that hit home the most for me was that he had a passion for our community. He spoke specifically about building meaningful relationships, putting the student-athletes at the forefront of his leadership and creating a culture of family and success.”
Ryan Carter pictured with his father, Mike Carter, and mother, Dana Jacobs.
Carter’s experience grinding through the ranks to earn a spot at the highest level of his sport is something Peloquin doesn’t take lightly. “It allows our students to see and get to know someone from their community [who followed] the path and dream that they currently have,” he says. “To be able to be coached by someone who was in their shoes and understands the journey is powerful.”
Carter is excited about the opportunity to coach at his alma mater. “It’s a reinvestment in the game,” he says. “I took a lot from the game for a long time as a player, and now I’m in a spot where I can provide some of those things for people. I feel that it’s an honor to be able to do that.”
From Hockey to Honey
Despite having “NHL alum” and “TV personality” on his résumé, Ryan Carter’s home life looks much like that of any of his neighbors. “We have grandparents helping watch the kids; we are eating on the fly,” he says. But I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
Carter’s beehives may be an exception to the rule. His interest in apiculture began during COVID-19, when Carter “watched 80 hours of beekeeping videos, read a beekeeping book, and I came upstairs and said to my wife, ‘Hey, honey, I’m a beekeeper now,’” he says. The Carter Family Apiary placed fourth in the light amber honey category at the 2025 Minnesota State Fair and is often available for purchase at The Wild Bean in Mahtomedi.
White Bear Lake Area High School Girls Hockey
Instagram: @wblgirlshshockey
